A century-old idea: neighbors organizing to fix what they see in their own city.
Rotary was founded in 1905 in Chicago by attorney Paul Harris, who wanted to keep the fellowship of small-town life alive in a fast-growing city. Regular people, organized, taking direct action — that idea is now a worldwide network.
One idea, a very long way from where it began.
From one Chicago lunch table to Southeast Raleigh.
1905 — Chicago
Paul Harris and three colleagues hold the first Rotary meeting. Clubs “rotate” their meeting place among members’ offices — that’s where the name comes from.
1915 — Raleigh
The Rotary Club of Raleigh is chartered. It marked its 110th anniversary in 2025 as the oldest service club in North Carolina.
1932 — The Four-Way Test
A short ethical yardstick for business and personal decisions, written for a company in crisis and later adopted by Rotary worldwide.
1985 — PolioPlus
Rotary launches its push to end polio worldwide. Wild polio cases have fallen by more than 99% since.
March 2020 — Southeast Raleigh
Our club is founded. We start virtual, we start small, and we start here.
The Four-Way Test
Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
Clubs, districts, and a Foundation
Each club decides its own projects. Clubs belong to a district — ours is District 7710 — which shares training and offers community grants of $2,500–$10,000. Rotary International ties it all together, and The Rotary Foundation funds work across the world.
Seven areas of focus. Every project points back to one.
Peace building & conflict prevention
Disease prevention & treatment
Water, sanitation & hygiene
Maternal & child health
Basic education & literacy
Community economic development
Protecting the environment
Service Above Self
Rotary’s motto, and how we measure ourselves.
We grew up next door to the oldest service club in North Carolina.
The Rotary Club of Raleigh was chartered in 1915 and is a model of what patient, decades-long service looks like. Its members still gather every week the way Rotarians have for over a century.
We’re honored to be walking a stretch of that same trail, a few miles southeast, with the same standard and our own streets to serve. We’re grateful for their example — and cheering them on.
Our chapter of the story is just getting started.
A small, dedicated core and a simple mission: bring that hands-on standard of service into Southeast Raleigh’s own neighborhoods.